A Brush with The Law

meath | history and heritage | feature

Thursday July 28, 2005 20:21

by Sean Crudden - impero

sean.crudden at iol dot ie

087 9739945

Protest at The Archaeological "Dig" near Tara

The brutal physics of modern traffic was borne in on me in a raw way standing by the busy Navan road just north of Tara yesterday evening for an hour while the latest protest against the proposed new motorway was in progress. This is an experience you don’t get driving along in your Toyota Corolla.

"What is your name and where are you from?" a policeman asked me when I rolled down my window at a checkpoint on the Kingscourt Road out of Navan last night.

"Sean Crudden from Jenkinstown, Dundalk," I replied fearlessly.
Garda: "Where are you coming from?"
SC: "From Navan - or rather from Maynooth."
Garda: "What were you doing in Navan."
SC: "I was at a protest against the new road."
Garda: "Were you protesting?"
SC: "I wouldn’t say I was protesting exactly - but I was there,"
I said with some trepidation.
Garda: "What were you doing there then?"
SC: "I was with my son. He helped publicise the protest."

"Well I disagree strongly with the protest," the policeman opined and the atmosphere thawed. "Yes," I replied, "there is more than a minority in favour of the new road."

"Do you remember the protest at The Glen of The Downs?" he continued, "that is one of the best roads in the country now. And when the new road to Navan is built it will be one of the best too."

"I suppose so," I commented, "if we live to see it."

Later as we picked up speed towards Wilkinstown I soliloquised to my son (who was minding my grandson in the back seat of the car), "I thought the police were supposed to be neutral? But I suppose he is entitled to his opinion. I don’t understand this thing about roads. Even if they succeed in building it there will be grass growing in the middle of the new road in 20 years’ time."

Son: "Is that because there will be no oil?" my son astutely asked.

"Yes," I concluded.

Further on near the Fane Bridge we had to double back to Readypenny and go through Knockbridge to avoid the scene of what looked like a fairly major accident.